Madrid to Valladolid train with Ouigo

Renfe AVANT is a high-speed, medium-distance passenger rail service operated by Renfe, Spain's national railway company. These trains provide comfortable and efficient travel on shorter routes, typically less than two hours, connecting different provinces within the same or neighboring autonomous communities. AVANT services operate on high-speed lines, reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h, though some sources mention speeds up to 300 km/h. AVANT trains, such as the series 104, 114, and 121, generally offer a single class configuration (Standard Class or Turista) with air-conditioned comfort. While they may lack some features of longer-distance AVE trains, like a full restaurant car, many have vending machines for snacks and drinks, and some AV City branded services include a cafeteria. Popular routes include Madrid to Toledo, Barcelona to Girona, and Seville to Cordoba.

Renfe Alvia are high-speed trains with top speeds of up to 250km/h operated by Renfe, Spain’s national railway company. Alvia trains cover most cities in Spain, including Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia, Alicante, Zaragoza and Cadiz. They are somewhat slower than Renfe AVE and AVLO (high-speed and low cost) but cover more destinations and are a comfortable and effective way of travelling around Spain. Onboard facilities include free WIFI, bike storage and luggage allowance. Alvia trains have two seat classes – Estándar and Confort. Top routes for Renfe Alvia include Barcelona to Pamplona, Madrid to Cádiz and Alicante to Gijón.

Renfe MD, or Media Distancia (Mid-distance), is a division of Spain's national railway company, Renfe, specializing in regional train services. These trains connect cities and towns within the same autonomous community or between contiguous communities, typically covering distances under 300 km. Renfe MD operates various train types, including modern regional services with amenities like power sockets and reading lights, and high-speed Avant trains that reach up to 250 km/h on shorter, high-speed routes. While not as fast as long-distance AVE trains, Renfe MD offers extensive coverage across Spain, providing essential regional connections.

SNCF OUIGO is a low-cost train service launched in 2013 by SNCF, the French national railway company. It offers budget-friendly travel on both high-speed (Ouigo Grande Vitesse) and conventional (Ouigo Vitesse Classique) lines in France, and also to Belgium and Spain. OUIGO trains are characterized by a "no-frills" approach, featuring a single class of seating and minimal onboard amenities to keep ticket prices low. While the high-speed services utilize specially reconfigured TGV trains, Ouigo Vitesse Classique uses older locomotive-hauled rolling stock for even cheaper fares on slower routes.